THE NAKED NOW
by Curleyswife3
Summary: Into a secret base a mysterious virus sows madness and death; Mac Taylor's team try to investigate, but fails to avoid contagion. The virus, however, cause unexpected side effects ...
1. Chapter 1

In una base segreta un virus misterioso semina la follia e la morte; la squadra di Mac Taylor indaga, ma non riesce ad evitare il contagio. Il virus, tuttavia, provoca inaspettati effetti collaterali…

Il titolo riprende un episodio di una famosissima serie tv degli anni novanta, alla quale la storia è liberamente ispirata. Avete capito di quale telefilm sto parlando?

**Into a secret base a mysterious virus sows madness and death; Mac Taylor's team** try to investigate, but fails to avoid contagion. The virus, however, cause unexpected side effects ...

The title takes an episode of a popular TV series of the nineties, in which the story is loosely based. Show you understand what I'm talking about?

THE NAKED NOW

CHAPTER ONE

That morning, very early, the detective Mac Taylor had gathered in the meeting room all his team's members: the best agents of the crime scene investigation department of New York City.

"What's happened?" asked Stella Bonasera to Danny Messer while they were reaching the room.

" I don't know, but there is trouble brewing. Mac haven't mentioned nothing by phone? " Replied the boy.

" No, you know how he is reserved ... but he seems a bit gloomy…" she said.

" Big deal! That's nothing new !" He joked. They exchanged themselves a knowing smile.

They had arrived.

He gallantly opened to her the glass door of the room, where they found Lindsay, Sid, Adam, Dr. Sheldon Hawkes and the detective Don Flack.

And, of course, Mac.

They greeted themselves. There was a relaxed atmosphere in the room.

Until Mac began to speak.

"Well" he said, and his tone betrayed a certain worry "I have asked you to come here for an extremely important matter, but also extremely tricky" – He made a brief break - "We are talking about of a national security's case".

"Wow!" said Adam, but Mac quickly chilled him with a look of disapproval that was more severe than usual.

"I have been contacted from the Director of the CIA in person: he need our competences in order to resolve a urgent case and much complex, from which could depend the security of our Country".

He was silent for a moment, feeling the wait grow in his team.

"We are talking about a dangerous case… we have to move very carefully, and for this reason in the end of this briefing, if someone of you wants to be withdrawn I can't blame him".

"Come on Mac! Now we're doing really worry about! Do you want to explain us what's happened?" said Stella.

"Ok" he said "but first, please lock the door: I think it is useless to tell you that not a word have to get out of this room". With a small remote control, he lowered the lights in the room.

In the darkness, Lindsay taken Danny's hand and squeeze it strong. On the screen placed on Mac's behind appeared what looked like the video taken by internal surveillance cameras.

"It's a secret facility built here in New York city, destined to the training of special agents and the preparation of anti-terrorism missions ."

The video quality was poor, but you could still distinguish the corpses, reversed ones on the others, in scattered order. Is not necessary to be an expert policemen in order to comprise that there it had been consumed a massacre.

The bodies of men and women were half-naked, covered of blood. Everywhere there were signs of struggle and broken objects. Stella came near the screen.. "But… they are all…" she said.

"Died" concluded Mac "fourteen between our better special agents, men and women perfectly trained …"

"What's happened?" said Flack.

"From the first reliefs it seem that they have been killed each other's" answered Mac "there were no traces of intrusions and the structure was not easily localized from outside".

"How is possible?" Lindsay exclaimed.

"What could drive crazy those agents highly trained?" said Sheldon "collective madness? hallucinations? hysteria".

"Or a disowned virus…" claimed Sid.

"And then… because the corpses are naked?" asked Stella.

"Good question!" said Mac.

"If they were not dead … we would say that they were just in the middle of a wild party!" Danny said, tearing everyone a smile. "For the time being, all these hypotheses are valid… or not, is our dues find the answers".

"Well, Let's go!" exclaimed Flack.

"No." Mac shook his head, "Perhaps I was not clear! None of us will move from here, since the structure was secret and has already been dismantled".

"You mean we can't inspect the scene, or take samples or take photos?" Danny's tone became restless.

"Correct!" he answered "We haven't the necessary credentials and the identity of the deceased agents must remain classified, also now that they are died…" "Therefore nothing corpses, neither autopsies" Sheldon said.

Mac nodded, the arms folded, looking serious.

"Nor fingerprints," he concluded.

"But, then, how are we going to conduct the investigation?" Stella said, giving voice to the thoughts of the whole team.

At this point, Mac moved slightly to the side revealing the presence, on the floor, of a dozen boxes of metal, all tightly closed.

"In those box there are the evidence find on the place by CIA operators; there is the full video surveillance, tissues and blood samples and so on".

"Obviously in those box there aren't computers' files to be analyzed…" risked Adam.

"Obviously not" Mac answered. Everybody were silent. Mac understood that his team expected more clarification by his side.

"I know that it's a damned complicated investigation…".

"An obstacle race" said Stella.

"Correct!" he said "but the safety of the nation now is in our hands. If you will decide to continue, I pretend from every you the maximum commitment." he looked them face to face.

Nobody said nothing.

Anybody stirred.

Mac sketched a smile: he knew that he could count on his team and he was sure that anybody turned their's backs to him.

"Come on, at work!" he said. That was all. They had been dismissed.

Adam and Flack worked on the videos of internal cameras, Sid and Sheldon analyzed tissue samples taken from the corpses, while Lindsay and Danny examining the exhibits containing the blood of the victims and samples of air, water and other substances found on site.

Stella and Mac, in the meanwhile, looked for in the computer files to verify possible analogous precedents or you signal that denoted a possible terrorist matrix.

"A true case of national security, wow!" Danny said, hugging from behind Lindsay, who was working on a sample of blood under the microscope.

The girl was nervous and this unexpected gesture that made her jump.

The tube fell on the table and a tiny drop of blood splash on Danny's arm between the latex glove and the shirt's sleeve that Danny had rolled on the forearm. The drop was too small to be noticed.

"Stupid! You scared me!" she said between the angry and the amused. Sometimes he was too funny!

"Come on, Montana, You're not really worried ?" He asked, gently, holding her hands.

Lindsay looked into his eyes and the tension broke up in the embrace of man she loved.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Mac Taylor's team had worked for hours without a break: they had been able to reconstruct the dynamics of the massacre, but they still had no clear idea what had triggered it.

Finally, they all gathered together in Mac's office in order to review the investigation's progress.

"It seems like they were all intoxicated" Stella said to Mac. "Seems that way" Mac said, frowning, checking the report that Stella had brought him.

"Intoxicated" he repeated. "...with almost no ability to judge ... and a suspected viral contamination by unknown agents ..." he read.

"The strange thing is that the victims apparently had pretty wild sexual activity before they died ..." Stella continued, but was interrupted by Lindsay dashing into the room.

"Please help me!" she cried "Danny is sick!".

Exchanging a startled look, Stella and Mac followed Lindsay to where Danny sat with Sheldon standing by him. He seemed perfectly normal, even if his face was dripping with sweat and he was out of breath.

Mac turned a questioning glance to the doctor, before asking the younger man, "Danny, why are you sweating so much?".

"Why?" he shouted aggressively "Why do you think? Because it's too hot in here!" Mac and Stella were shocked, but with her gaze fixing Danny in the eyes, Stella said, "I don't think so, Danny... and don't you think you've overreacted?".

"Okay, okay" Danny said trying to be conciliatory "But that was a really stupid question!".

Sheldon struggled to retain a chuckle.

However Lindsay, Mac and Stella exchanged worried glances.

After a moment of silence, Danny tried to resume the conversation, turning to Mac. "Hey, boss…I was only joking" he told him cheerfully.

Mac stared at him. "Yes... don't worry. It's all right".

After he finished speaking, he walked away with Hawkes, who preventing any questions said quietly "I'll arrange some additional tests on Danny, since he's behaving so strangely".

"Do it, and soon please" replied Mac.

With a nod, Sheldon went back to work.

In the meanwhile, Mac asked Lindsay to follow him outside the lab.

When they were away from the others, Mac asked her, "Has Danny reacted aggressively other times today?".

No ... no" replied Lindsay, with a trembling voice, "He was just upset and said meaningless things...".

Mac clearly felt her anguish.

"Don't worry" he said, taking Lindsay's arm, "We'll find a solution. Everything will be all right".

Lindsay gave him a glance full of hope and returned to Danny.

Not much time had passed since their last conversation, when Hawkes brought him the results of his analysis. Mac and Stella were still checking the reports, trying to fit together all the pieces of what looked like a difficult puzzle.

"What have you found out about Danny?" Mac asked the doctor.

Hawkes sighed.

"According to the tests, he's ok ... he's just very upset and has the symptoms of a high fever, even though he doesn't actually have a fever...".

Mac was silent for a moment: the situation was complicated and he needed to reflect in order to find a solution.

"Sheldon; all those people who died…do you think the virus they had could have contaminated our laboratory too? ".

"I don't know" Hawkes replied.

"According to what I've managed to find out, the reasons for the massacre can be found in madness or in some kind of emotional turmoil" Stella said, "Although I still can't explain why the corpses were found in those conditions".

"And Danny?" asked Mac.

"If I didn't know him, I'd say he was under the influence of drugs" she said, "Or otherwise intoxicated..." she clarified after a moment's pause. "But we found no traces of drugs, alcohol or toxic substances" Sheldon concluded.

There seemed nothing more to say, so Hawkes left to continue his work, Leaving Mac beginning to feel guilty about what was happening.

The crime scene had endangered his companions - his friends, and for once, Mac really had no idea how to find a way through this muddle. What he was thinking was written over all his face and as usual, it was not hard for Stella to guess what he thought.

She gently took his hand.

He glanced up and their eyes met for a moment.

"It's incredible" he said aloud "an entire team of agents who apparently completely lose control have died and now we risk the same fate"

His expression darkened.

"I have to find a solution; I have to find a solution now".

He picked up the phone and left the room, needing to make a call, leaving Stella staring after him.

A little while later, Flack hurried into Mac's office, finding Mac sitting behind his desk, studying the latest analysis performed by Sid and Hawkes.

"Mac" Don said.

He was engrossed in his work so much, he didn't hear.

"Mac!" Flack repeated, louder, touching Mac's arm in order to attract his attention.

Finally, the older man noticed him "Hi, Don" he said "What's happening?"

He noted that although it was cold, Mac had pulled the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbow.

"I don't know" Flack said, bewildered. "A few minutes ago the NSA evacuated everyone in the department except for Adam, Danny, Sid, Lindsay, Stella, Sheldon and us. They've told us no one can enter or get out of here until the situation has been clarified".

"I'm aware of that" replied Mac seriously "I called them …"

"What?" Don shouted furiously "Why you call them?".

If he didn't know Mac as well as he did, he would probably have assaulted him.

Mac stood up. "Calm down and listen to me, Don. It's almost certain the lab was contaminated... If it is, then whatever killed those agents is now a threat to us. Unfortunately, we are the only ones who have handled the contaminated items, therefore we have to remain in quarantine until further notice".

Flack saw that Mac seemed tired and spoke with difficulty.

"I couldn't risk that the contagion was extended... you understand, right? I hadn't any other choice" he said wearily.

Flack looked down. He had to admit that Mac, as usual, had made the right decision.

"Nothing is lost yet" Mac concluded, "Hawkes has identified a viral agent contamination from the blood samples and is working on an antidote"

Flack ran his hand through his hair. "Then let's hope he gets it soon..." Mac was forced to sit, his tiredness even more evident.

"Are you okay?" Flack asked him, noting that his face was beaded with sweat and he was bleary-eyed.

"Yes ..." he stuttered, wiping away the sweat from his forehead, "It's just kind of hot in here...".

"Damn" Flack thought. "Even Mac has been infected ... and I've touched him".

He had to find Stella and tell her immediately.

Thanks to my husband Paolo for translation and to lilymoonlight for her suggestions.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

In the twilight of his office, Detective Mac Taylor tried desperately to concentrate. "I have to find a solution ... I have to find a solution," he repeated to himself continuously.

But his brain didn't want to obey to him. His thoughts crowded haphazardly, he was confused, disoriented.

"Damn ..." he said aloud, nervously stroking his hair with the hands "I feel completely dazed!"

Suddenly, Lindsay entered the room: her face was sweaty and her hair, usually tidy, looked rather messy.

Mac didn't realize that she was inside the room until she closed the door behind herself.

"It's too hot in here!" she said, taking off her coat and throwing it down on the floor as she walked toward him into the room. She was carrying a briefcase full of papers which she carelessly put on the

desk in front of Mac and, when it fell down, she didn't stoop to collect the papers that had scattered on the floor.

Neither did Mac.

"Lindsay," he said, looking into her face, "Are you okay?" Her only answer was to slip into the narrow space between the desk and chair where Mac sat, brushing his knees.

She sat down just in front of Mac, on the edge of the desk. Then she rubbed the back of the hand on her lips as if burned.

"Lindsay ... what's the matter?" Mac repeated. "I think I've been infected," she finally answered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I don't know what's happening, but I have some strange thoughts."

"What?" he said.

"For example," she continued, "for example ... I have to confess that in this moment I think you're awfully… awfully ..." she broke down and laughed in a hysterical way "But luckily we haven't time for such things ..." she concluded.

"What are you thinking about?" answered Mac, who now wasn't very lucid. "Oh God ... how much I would like show you, Mac!" was Lindsay's reply.

He gulped.

Trying to show composure, Mac said, "Maybe you are too free calling me Mac, perhaps you should use the polite form and call me Lieutenant Taylor ... or at least Boss!"

"All right, Boss" she said, sitting down on his legs "but then you should call me Detective Monroe ..."

"Damn …is true." He exclaimed before Lindsay overwhelmed him.

Grabbing his face with one hand she began kissing him behind the ear, then on the neck. Her lips were burning.

"Lindsay, for heaven's sake! Try to control yourself! You ... you're in love with Danny, you're paired off with him!" Mac said, trying to raise a minimal resistance.

"Yes, true!" Lindsay said, without stopping to kiss him "I love Danny... but he is so young and inexperienced ... To tell you the truth, Mac, I've always preferred men older than me, experienced… worldly-wise ..."

"Lindsay, please stop!" said Mac Lindsay didn't stop. Her hands, it seemed, were everywhere.

"Lindsay ... I order you to stop!" he repeated trying to be severe, even though he sounded hesitant.

Lindsay still didn't stop. Mac knew that just an instant more and he was going to yield and he would no

longer be able to stop himself.

Just an instant more and he would completely lose control. That instant came… and the unthinkable happened.

Meanwhile, Stella had locked herself in the ladies' room. She took off her jacket and began to look at her image in the mirror.

"Not bad at all!" she thought. Nevertheless, there was still something that did not satisfy her: the image

reflected in the mirror didn't express completely what she felt within herself.

A free mind, free at last. A mind finally able to understand her desires and a mind finally able to achieve them.

She poked around in her purse where she found her makeup bag, which she usually used with great parsimony, in order to avoid the possibility that her look could ruin the image of perfect detective that she had constructed during her career in the police.

Up until that moment.

Now, however, she wanted to change her image. She needed it desperately. She felt a terrible heat, an unquenchable fire burning in her veins.

In the attempt to find relief, she put her head under the faucet, but the cold water didn't bring her any benefit.

Then, she threw back her thick hair completely soaked with water. "Ok" she thought, looking in the mirror again, "Now it is perfect..."

Strictly she tied her curls at the nape of her neck in a massive bun from which some mischievous locks slipped out to lie on her forehead and on her temples.

She made up her face carefully, as if she was headed to a party. She lingered on her lips, knowing that she wanted the color of them to be a flaming red carmine.

Finally, she took off her blouse, leaving her only in a tight black top. "Yeah," she thought satisfied looking in the mirror at the results of her efforts. "This is so much better!"

Finally Stella emerged from the bathroom. She moved sinuously, almost swaying along the empty corridors of the laboratory. She arrived outside Mac's office, pushed the door, but, strangely, she found it locked. Locked from the inside. She called, without success.

She looked inward, but it was all dark and she couldn't distinguish anything. Indeed, putting her ear to the glass, she heard muffled sounds, which she was unable to recognize.

She waited a few minutes during which time her frenzy had become intolerable. She snorted and walked away. Evidently, she thought, it was not her destiny.

Moreover, there were many other men on earth ... and she had never felt as beautiful and desirable at that time.

Then…

Thanks to Paolo for translation, and Lilymoonlight for her suggestions.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

It wasn't long before Stella met Sid Hammerback. They gazed into each other's eyes. " Good Heavens, Stella!" he said "What's up?"

"Do you like my new look?" she said while she gently laid a hand on his chest, on the bare skin above his overall. He felt her burning touch on the skin.

"Really? You are… you are fabulous," he replied. "I didn't think you could be so ..." He paused, fearing to sound untoward, after all, she was still a senior colleague and also a friend. "So... what?" She insisted, without moving the hand and, indeed, approachin him more and more. "...So sexy," he concluded, glancing down with embarrassment. He was silent a moment, wondering why, suddenly, he had started to feel hot, So hot ...

Abruptly, Stella pushed him into the autopsy room, that was just behind Sid. She moved closer and closer, gazing into his eyes and caressing his face slowly. He, surprised, said. "Stella, but ... what are you doing? Stop please ... we're friends… We've been friends for several years..." "Exactly," she said, her voice was soft as velvet. "I ... I am a married man..." ventured Sid. Stella grabbed Sid's glasses from his face and let them fall to the ground. "You should know that I'm not jealous ..." she said.

With the tip of her forefinger she followed slowly the profile of Sid's face: slowly, forehead, nose, lips ... "Do you know how old I was when my parents abandoned me?" she asked in a caressing voice. "No ... I'm afraid not," he said, rubbing his sweaty forehead. "I was a tiny little girl," she continued, "... but I survived, I learned how to defend myself from the evil that surrounded me, I built a shell around me in order to avoid any suffering..."

Suddenly she interrupted her speech with a break full of meanings. "... But now I have a great need for tenderness ... joy ... love… And now I want it from you!"

Adam Ross had just finished viewing all the movies filmed by surveillance cameras in the secret facility where the contamination had developed. What he had discovered could be of paramount importance in solving the case and he wanted to share it with Mac as soon as possible. He was amazed because none of his colleagues was at their habitual workspace. Seized by a sudden worry, he raced towards his office.

The door was locked from within. Everything was dark and no one answered to his calls. The next step was to try Stella.

He reached the autopsy room but he found again the door locked, the room only half-lit and nobody at work. Instinctively, he pressed his ear against the door and - not realizing who was there in the room – heard what was unmistakable. "Damn," he thought. "This is serious…" Remembering what he had seen in the recordings, he realized that probably all of his friends had been infected. Breathless, desperately, he ran through the entire lab. Luckily, he found a light on in Sheldon's room.

"Oh, God!" he said "I know it's a long time since I've prayed to you, but please, please let Sheldon still be in control of himself." He entered the room and found the doctor was still studying something under the microscope. "Sheldon," he called. "Adam ... what's up? Are you okay?" the doctor asked the other, startled by The interruption of his friend.

" ... yes, but haven't you realized what's happened?" Adam replied in thethroes of a great agitation. "No, I've been in here for hours trying to synthesize an antiviral agent that

Can contrast the contaminant that killed those agents, but ... why do you ask me?"At that point, Adam closed the door. "What are you doing?" Sheldon asked "Quick, help me!" said Adam, trying to move a heavy metal table in front of the door to create a sort of barricade. "Adam, are you crazy?" Sheldon insisted. However, when he looked into his face, he read the terror in his eyes and it persuaded him to help him.

Together, they fixed the heavy table behind the door. Now it would be almost impossible for anyone to get in there. "Now you tell me, please, what's going on?" urged the doctor. "OK, OK," Adam said, still visibly shaken and quickly explained to Sheldon what he had seen and that he had deduced that an unknown virus had been the cause of a strong emotional upsetting, that had caused the agents to abandon every form of inhibition. That loss of inhibition was followed by excitement, joy and further excitement ...

"Then…" Adam said "After a short time the excitement degenerates, becoming senseless violence."

Thanks to Lilymoonlight for her precious help.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

CHAPTER FIVE

What he had seen, and that would not easily be forgotten, was an aggressive and

free killing spree.

"Basically," he concluded, "they massacred each other."

Sheldon had listened to Adam's speech without saying a word…until now.

"My God" he said "all those people ..."

Suddenly, he associated Adam's account with Danny's symptoms and the huge tizzy shown just before by his fellow.

Everything was clear.

"Adam ..." he said "According to you, the others are contaminated?"

"Yes," he replied, "Mac, Stella and the others ... I think they have all been infected by the same agent!"

"... And Danny and Flack?" Dr. Hawkes asked.

"I have not seen them for several hours ..." was the reply.

Both were silent for a moment, coming to their own conclusions.

"So", the doctor asked, "In your opinion how much time do we have in order to…"

he paused, unable to express in words the horrific images that had just been formed in his mind, starred by his colleagues, his closest friends.

"According to me," said Adam, after a breathing space, "We have less than two hours ... and then it will be too late. For all of them. And perhaps for us too" Sheldon did not answer. They both stared at the microscope at which the doctor was working.

Guessing what Adam would have asked later, Dr. Hawkes said: "I think ...

I mean ... I think I have succeeded in synthesizing an antidote, but I couldn't test it ... and I certainly can't do it now, it would be too risky to get out of here ... Damn!" he exclaimed angrily. Therefore, they were lost?

"Wait!" said Adam "... you can test it on me!".

"But you have not been infected," Sheldon said, discouraged.

"Not yet," said Adam, and before the doctor could stop him, grabbed a tube with contaminated blood that Sheldon had used for his work and poured a small drop on the back of the hand.

"Are you crazy?" Hawkes exclaimed, trying to grab the bulb, which smashed into a

thousand shards on the floor "I don't know if the antidote will be effective ... as far as I know, it could be lethal!".

"I think that the disease-spreading happens by contact…" answered Adam, as if he spoke to himself instead of to Sheldon.

Almost despairing, the two men sat in a corner and remained silent for a time which seemed to them to be infinitely long.

Suddenly, they heard a voice from outside.

They recognized this voice: it was Stella.

"Hey... anyone there?" she called.

She seemed completely drunk.

"Hey guys ...?" she said.

"Adam ... Sheldon ... Are you there, right?" said another voice that after a great disbelief and dismay, they recognized as Mac's voice "Hey guys, come out ..."

"We're having fun here!" said Stella.

"Hey, open the door! ... I'm your boss ...and I order you to open it ..." Mac said with a laugh.

Adam and Sheldon glanced at each other with apprehension.

Meantime, outside, the others continued to call them.

Then, they began to beat against the door with energy, but the barricade erected by Adam and Sheldon resisted.

Suddenly, Adam got up and went to the door, trying to move the heavy table luckily without success ... apparently the infection was also showing up in him.

Sheldon knew that he had to act now, without delay.

With a quick gesture, the doctor injected him the antidote in the right arm, just below the shoulder.

"Ouch!" Adam rubbed the spot vigorously.

Dr. Hawkes wasn't a very religious person but in that moment he prayed that the antidote would take effect soon.

He wouldn't have a second chance.

Fortunately, after a few moments, Adam said: "Your antidote is excellent! Now I feel very well."

Sheldon sighed with relief: the antidote made effect and, apparently, quickly.

Now, they had to get busy.

First, Sheldon injected himself with a dose.

Then together, they prepared enough doses for all the others.

"Well," the doctor said, turning to Adam "Let's go out there, before someone gets hurt."

EPILOGUE

Finally the situation in the New York Crime Lab was back to normality.

The thrill was gone and no one, fortunately, had suffered serious consequences.

The day after Mac called a meeting of all them in the conference room, as he felt the need to tell them something.

When she was next through the door of the conference room, Stella ushered everyone else in and waited for the arrival of Sid.

She held him briefly in the doorway and, when she was sure that nobody would hear them, she looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Sid , I want to tell you once, nothing happened between us.. It never happened!

Her tone didn't permit any reply.

Then she went into the conference room and Dr. Hammerback followed her, looking astonished and sad.

Mac began to speak.

"...Well, I think you will agree with me" concluded Mac looking them in the face one by one and having a lingering glance at Lindsay, who returned his glance "That the efficiency of our team will improve significantly if starting from now we..."

Sid then looked at Stella, Mac gazed at Lindsay and Danny turned his eyes to Flack, who was just behind him and returned his glance.

"We avoid the temptations."

Three months later, Lindsay announced she was pregnant.

END

Thanks to Lilymoonlight for her precious help.


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